New Gun Doesn't Fit

[caballero]

Hi

 

Went for a lesson on the clays yesterday, the first thing the coach said was lets see if your gun fits.

 

Guess what it don't, really brassed off because I brought it new from a clay ground in Staffs near a theme park (that will fit you fine sir).

 

So what to do. Have the stock altered, I think it means the comb is to high as I need to aim a foot or so below the bird or would you px and get a different gun that fits, it doesn't help being a leftie.

 

The things that worry me are, will altering the stock make it difficult to sell on in the future and whats the likely px value on a gun with less than 100 cartridges though it and no marks.

 

Phil

[apache]

If you are a newbie I wouldn't worry yet. Before you consider having anything done your mount needs to be consistent.

 

It is quite unusual to have a high comb, usually they are too low.

 

Myself [and I know people will disagree] I'd persevere as you are for 6 months. Stock alteration will reduce re-sale value and many newbies will change guns at first.

[Scully]

Do you mean you are using a right-handed gun?If so,and it has no cast,you could simply have excess wood shaved from the comb(by a professional)if it's too high.But if it's cast for a right-handed person you may be better off trading it in for a true left-handed gun.Avalon usually have quite a selection of left-handers in,and do a lot of pxing.I've found them to be good to deal with.

[caballero]

Hi Scully

 

Its a straight cast. I'll have a look at Avalons web site

 

Thanks

 

Phil

[BerettaSV10]

I just sold a gun that did not fit correctly Which I probally fired less than 250 cartidges through it, I should of listened to the dealer and not myself and waited until my stance improved enough to be stable, In my case it was all my own fault.

 

As the shop said the gun will fit you, could go back and see what they say, as they sold you some thing not right for you. It always pays to ask around for dealears that are not there to push sales of any guns. The dealer I use has stated if a gun is suitable or not, even at the loss of a sale.

 

Depending on which gun you have could decide what you what to do, the last gun I had fitted cost me £120 while others I know have paid £250 it all depends on how much work is involved. Unfortunately for me it is very hard to find a gun that fits me streight of the shelf.

 

There are a couple of thoughts on selling a fitted gun, as its been fitted for you, when you come to sell it how well will it fit some one else, so it can de-value it. The other approach is if some one of a simular build could have the same gun fit problem and finding a gun that has been altered would be a benifit to them. I am not a expert in this area and others more familer with buying and selling fitted guns will be able to advise you better.

 

 

The way I worked if I was going to keep the gun I just sold was.

 

1 How much I paid for gun - the vat paid on it Cost new including vat was £1080

 

2 Cost of the fit in my case a min of £120

 

3. Vat lost £190 at a rough guess

 

4, How much the dealer was giving me in trade in value considering how low a usage it had.

 

5. Other thing I wanted doing was £50 to £300 approx (could not get on with the fixed choke, my fault again), cost was to either bore the chokes out to more usable for me, or convert to multi choke.

 

6. Cost of a new gun that fitted me a lot better £1180

 

7. If I had the work done, would I want to keep it and the thought of how much if any resale value I had added or knocked off the gun.

 

I could of kept it and tried a bit more with it, but I also thought about how it would affect my shooting switching between this gun and other gunds that fitted me better.

 

For me the sums balanced in favor of trading in the gun for a lovely Beretta Silver Pigeon 1.

Edited December 5, 2010 by BerettaSV10

[seeker]

Do you know why it does not fit and 'exactly' what would make it fit??

If you're having to shoot just below the bird why is cast an issue?? ..

Height & cast might just be a simple matter of bending the stock, and it can always be bent back. Cutting wood off is another matter.

Sit back and give things some thought ... with car issues wouldn't your first port of call be the dealer who sold it to you- né??

Diagnosis by internet could be worth what you pay fo it.

Edited December 5, 2010 by seeker

[BlaserF3]

Why not have an adjustable comb conversion fitted, it should be cheaper than trading it in.

[HDAV]

If it's the topcote finish which i recon it will be, its not easy to "fit" to you, I had one gun fitted for me to be able to shoot (its a RH i shoot LH) the other one (which had the right cast) I was told to wait until my mount was more consistent before getting it fitted. If you have only fired 100 shells through it you have hardly had chance to use it but aiming 12" under seems extreme!!!

 

Gun fit is more art than science its about changing you and potentially the gun if you have been shooting shotguns for 30 years and have a rock solid gun mount, having the gun fitted to you is the best option, if you have been shooting shotguns for less than 3 years getting a good and consistent mount (this is bloody hard work and boring as hell, arent the best improvements always so...) will aid your shooting alot more.

 

Have more lessons and if your gun is miles off fitting use the coaches gun... What are you shooting? Trap? sporting? skeet?

 

Perhaps have some lessons where you bought the gun.... see what they say, if they say the fit is rubbish (dont tell them where you bought it before the lesson) then tell the coach you want a refund....

 

I am lucky I have found a very experienced gunsmith who does not sell guns (as he said him self the gun he has in stock is the perfect gun for the next person who walks through the door) who has given me some coaching and good advice I trust his opinion and experience I have had lessons with others who are good coaches but not in the same league, I spent an hour with him and did not fire a single cartridge, Why? I wasn't ready to even tho i had shot 1000's already! He asked me "do you want to learn to shoot better or break a few clays?" I said "shoot better" we never put a shell in the chamber but i shot better after it even tho i wasn't supposed to be shooting anything...

 

I see your near wolves, for a cheap clay ground TJ Hale in kinver is very cheap and they have a "have a go stand" the chap that runs it does £12 for 25 clays inc carts, he is very experienced and would be worth you going down one sunday morning it's the best value instruction i have come across...... and more of the learn to shoot the gun you have rather than the have a gun fitted you mentality....worth considering.

[caballero]

Why not have an adjustable comb conversion fitted, it should be cheaper than trading it in.

[/i]

 

 

 

Now there's an idea, but will this work if I need to lower the comb.

 

 

 

If it's the topcote finish which i recon it will be, its not easy to "fit" to you, I had one gun fitted for me to be able to shoot (its a RH i shoot LH) the other one (which had the right cast) I was told to wait until my mount was more consistent before getting it fitted. If you have only fired 100 shells through it you have hardly had chance to use it but aiming 12" under seems extreme!!!

 

Gun fit is more art than science its about changing you and potentially the gun if you have been shooting shotguns for 30 years and have a rock solid gun mount, having the gun fitted to you is the best option, if you have been shooting shotguns for less than 3 years getting a good and consistent mount (this is bloody hard work and boring as hell, arent the best improvements always so...) will aid your shooting alot more.

 

Have more lessons and if your gun is miles off fitting use the coaches gun... What are you shooting? Trap? sporting? skeet?

 

Perhaps have some lessons where you bought the gun.... see what they say, if they say the fit is rubbish (dont tell them where you bought it before the lesson) then tell the coach you want a refund....

 

I am lucky I have found a very experienced gunsmith who does not sell guns (as he said him self the gun he has in stock is the perfect gun for the next person who walks through the door) who has given me some coaching and good advice I trust his opinion and experience I have had lessons with others who are good coaches but not in the same league, I spent an hour with him and did not fire a single cartridge, Why? I wasn't ready to even tho i had shot 1000's already! He asked me "do you want to learn to shoot better or break a few clays?" I said "shoot better" we never put a shell in the chamber but i shot better after it even tho i wasn't supposed to be shooting anything...

 

I see your near wolves, for a cheap clay ground TJ Hale in kinver is very cheap and they have a "have a go stand" the chap that runs it does £12 for 25 clays inc carts, he is very experienced and would be worth you going down one sunday morning it's the best value instruction i have come across...... and more of the learn to shoot the gun you have rather than the have a gun fitted you mentality....worth considering.

It' not the Topcote thank goodness, I'm off tomorrow morning for a second opinion I'll see what they say.

 

I reckon you lived near me as you knew Pattingham when I was looking for a new dog.

 

Phil

Edited December 5, 2010 by caballero

[HDAV]

Hi Phil I used to live in Kinver and folks still do (and spent many years on holiday on the Llyn...). if its a real wood stock you could have it adjusted, the adjustable comb means cutting a wedge out for the top of the stock and mounting it on adjustable pins see here:

[blindasabat]

get yourself a left hand benelli mate and you wont look back.i am left handed and wouldnt go back to an over and under now.i have shot for 45 years so semi auto is not just a whim.saying that.all my shooting these days are rough and pigeon.best of luck whatever you decide on.

[BerettaSV10]

get yourself a left hand benelli mate and you wont look back.i am left handed and wouldnt go back to an over and under now.i have shot for 45 years so semi auto is not just a whim.saying that.all my shooting these days are rough and pigeon.best of luck whatever you decide on.

 

Have to agree if you want to go down the semi auto route the Benelli's are a beutifull gun, my own opinion though is semi auto's are not my first choice for some one who is just starting out shooting, mainly for the safety aspect.

[berties]

Hi

 

Went for a lesson on the clays yesterday, the first thing the coach said was lets see if your gun fits.

 

Guess what it don't, really brassed off because I brought it new from a clay ground in Staffs near a theme park (that will fit you fine sir).

 

So what to do. Have the stock altered, I think it means the comb is to high as I need to aim a foot or so below the bird or would you px and get a different gun that fits, it doesn't help being a leftie.

 

The things that worry me are, will altering the stock make it difficult to sell on in the future and whats the likely px value on a gun with less than 100 cartridges though it and no marks.

 

Phil

Don't do any thing drastic yet,visit a few gunsmiths and get some advice on fit,I was told my cone was to high and it was all down to my eyes,central vision,I sorted out that put on a bigger pad and hay presto I was off hitting my boggie birds ,get some info off the people who know how to fit a gun,there are threads on here saying sort out consistent gun mount then you will get a bird that you can't break then refit your gun but by then you might want to trade up ,granted some guns are a mile off but seek additional advice

[HDAV]

Phil are you left handed? shooting a left handed. Left eye dominant? Didn't see it anywhere in your post? Barby shooting ground Rugby http://barbysporting.sports.officelive.com/default.aspx The owner Gordon (also has 2 gun shops) is left handed so they often have a good choice of left handed guns (that's where i got my LH 525) if you are L/H recommend a lesson with Gordon they also will let you try guns from the shop at the ground Gun Shop Rugby, well worth the trip.

[caballero]

Don't do any thing drastic yet,visit a few gunsmiths and get some advice on fit,I was told my cone was to high and it was all down to my eyes,central vision,I sorted out that put on a bigger pad and hay presto I was off hitting my boggie birds ,get some info off the people who know how to fit a gun,there are threads on here saying sort out consistent gun mount then you will get a bird that you can't break then refit your gun but by then you might want to trade up ,granted some guns are a mile off but seek additional advice

 

It sounds as if you where there. "comb to high, central vision" never had a problem with open or tele sights.

[caballero]

Phil are you left handed? shooting a left handed. Left eye dominant? Didn't see it anywhere in your post? Barby shooting ground Rugby http://barbysporting.sports.officelive.com/default.aspx The owner Gordon (also has 2 gun shops) is left handed so they often have a good choice of left handed guns (that's where i got my LH 525) if you are L/H recommend a lesson with Gordon they also will let you try guns from the shop at the ground Gun Shop Rugby, well worth the trip.

 

Total leftie, ambi stock, central vision so i'm told. going to have a drive round a few shops this morning and have a chat.

 

I'm new back to the sport sold my old SxS's twenty odd years ago and just reapplied for my ticket. Never shot clays then only rough and the odd game day.

 

Nice place Kinver, played a lot of Golf at Enville.